


A Different Kind Of Peace

by DoctorV



Series: Differences [2]
Category: Milo Murphy's Law
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Dakavendish - Freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 19:00:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12260235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorV/pseuds/DoctorV
Summary: Dakota continues to avoid Cavendish's questions, Cavendish is persistent.





	A Different Kind Of Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing like avoiding homework to get the ol' creative juices geysering out onto a keyboard. I do still want this series to at least have a third part, but I'm not sure what exactly that would consist of so IDK when/if it'll happen.

The next morning there's no time to question Dakota further about his former timeline. Balthazar wakes to find the man settling his jacket on his shoulders, looking far more awake and aware than he usually does at this hour. When Dakota looks up to find Balthazar watching him, he smiles brilliantly.

"Hey, mornin', sunshine," he says, scooping his keys and wallet off the table by the door and into his pockets. Jerking a thumb over his shoulder toward the door, he adds, "Listen, I gotta prior engagement, so I'm gonna head out. I'll see ya tonight."

And on that rather brief and cryptic note, his partner is out the door before Balthazar can even get out of bed.

What sort of prior engagement could Dakota possibly have? They don't know anyone in this time period, and he didn't take the time machine with him so he can't be going to another time. It is Dakota, though, so it could be any number of local events he saw an advertisement for. Perhaps he found a coupon for an all you can eat buffet.

Balthazar briefly entertains the idea that the Bureau had called and given Dakota a solo mission, but just as quickly dismisses it. Dakota wouldn't have called that a "prior engagement". As far as partners go, his tends to be incredibly open and honest with him, displaying a surprising amount of trust for someone who barely knows him. If he'd been given a solo mission, Dakota would have told him. Possibly even let him join in if Balthazar said he wanted to.

That's probably why this whole Mississippi Purchase matter is bothering him so much. Dakota is actually being _evasive_ about it. And before the idle comment that had so sharply prodded at his curiosity, he'd had no idea his partner was actually from an alternate timeline. Certainly Dakota had previously given no indication or made any reference to it. In fact, Balthazar would wager the man hadn't expected him to even make the connection. Or ask any follow-up questions.

But then he had, and Dakota had acted...uncomfortable. Nervous, even. Then he had changed the subject, distracted him, and finally _avoided_ him altogether.

Unfortunately for Dakota, that only makes Balthazar _more_ curious. So if the man thinks he'll forget about it any time soon, he is _sorely_ mistaken.

Grumbling under his breath, Balthazar climbs out of bed and crosses the room to the box he keeps their equipment in. He digs out the pistachio tracker and fiddles with the settings until it will let him input another target. Setting it on the table next to Dakota's hairbrush, he goes about his morning routine. Now that he has a way to track his partner, he sees no point in hurrying after him. Once Dakota reaches his destination, Balthazar can pinpoint him at his leisure.

And then, perhaps, finally get some answers.

 

* * *

  


_"Will I be allowed the dubious honor of my husband's company tonight?"_

_"Hm? Oh yeah, I'll be there in a minute, Bali-babe. Just gotta finish this chapter."_

_A huff made him look up finally and Bal raised an eyebrow when he saw he had Vinnie's attention. "I'll never understand your fondness for that nickname," he said, mustache twitching like he was fighting back a smile._

_"Aw, you like it," he teased, grinning and resting an arm over the back of the chair as he turned to face his husband. "Besides, what about you and callin' me_ 'Vincent' _? That doesn't even make sense."_

_"It makes perfect sense!" Bal argued, voice stern even while his eyes sparkled with amusement. "Since your given name is only a nickname, it's only logical to use a proper name as a nickname for you."_

_The "ha, so there!" went unspoken but he could hear it in Bal's tone and shook his head. "You're ridiculous," he said fondly._

_"Well_ you're _cheating on me with these books," Bal countered, picking one up to run a critical eye over the title on the spine. "I knew you had a taste for dusty old things, I suppose I just never expected you to leave me for older and dustier."_

 _Vinnie laughed and held out a hand to him. "You're not_ that _old. You're not even that much older than me." It was true, Bal just happened to have gone grey earlier in life._

_Rolling his eyes, Bal took his hand, lacing their fingers together and letting himself be pulled closer and coaxed onto Vinnie's lap. He settled his long, gangly legs at a comfortable angle and sighed, pressing a gentle kiss to Vinnie's knuckles before resting their foreheads together. "You've been up late every night this week," he murmured, mustache tickling Vinnie's upper lip. "Come to bed, love. I miss you."_

Sighing, Vinnie opens his eyes and stares out at the empty cemetery where his husband isn't buried. "Miss you too."

It's a nice cemetery. Comfy bench under a tree, plenty of grass. It's _peaceful_ , which is what Vinnie really needs right now. Somewhere peaceful to sit for a while and just remember. He doesn't usually indulge in this, but today? He can take a day to sit and remember his husband, the good times they had together. And there _were_ good times. Maybe the world itself was crap in that timeline, but they had each other so they could get through it.

Tilting his head up to soak in the real, natural sunlight, Vinnie closes his eyes and sighs again, letting his mind drift. It seems a little silly to feel so heartsick for someone he literally saw a few hours ago. Then again, as his therapist would be quick to remind him, his partner isn't the same man as his late husband. It's healthy to grieve for someone who doesn't exist anymore.

 

* * *

  


Now that finding Dakota is all but assured, Balthazar allows himself a leisurely morning routine. A shower, breakfast with a cup of tea, and a few pages of the newspaper. What a novel concept! A paper copy of various newsfeeds all collected together. Though he can't help but remember that Dakota's sole interest in the outdated technology is the comics page and the coupons.

Finishing his tea, he decides he's dawdled long enough. Wherever Dakota is going, surely he's reached his destination by now.

Balthazar collects his keys and the pistachio tracker, currently a Dakota tracker, and sets out in search of his partner.

Half an hour later, he's still following the machine's directions, wondering just how far Dakota wandered off. It isn't until he's completely circled the Swamp City Cemetery for a second time that he realizes the tracker is indicating Dakota is _inside_ the cemetery. Looking up from the screen to stare at the fence surrounding the area, Balthazar suddenly feels uneasy. What in blazes is his partner doing in a cemetery?

He knows what people _usually_ do in cemeteries, the living ones anyway, but what is _Dakota_ doing here?

Sitting, he soon discovers. Dakota is just sitting. On a bench, under a tree, in the middle of a cemetery. There's something about his expression that doesn't sit right with Balthazar, and he struggles for a moment to recognize it as melancholy. It looks out of place on his partner's usually amiable face.

This isn't what he had pictured at all when Dakota announced a "prior engagement". He almost wishes he _had_ found the man at a buffet. Following him _here_ feels like an intrusion.

Still, now that he's here he can't exactly ignore that Dakota is sitting in the middle of a cemetery looking more serious than Balthazar's ever seen him. Whatever it is that he's intruding _on_ , he braces himself and continues toward his partner.

 

* * *

  


When he hears someone approaching, Vinnie doesn't bother opening his eyes. He has a suspicion who it is, but he's not quite ready to see someone he's actively mourning.

The person's footsteps pause, finally hesitating, before he hears Cavendish clear his throat awkwardly. "Er, may I join you?"

Vinnie lets his mouth twitch up in a smile as he slowly tilts his head back down to look at his partner. He actually got more time to himself than he expected. Either Cavendish had trouble finding him or he decided to give Vinnie some time to himself before tracking him down. He can't even begin to guess which it is. "Heh, should've known you'd find me. Sure, have a seat." He drops a hand to the bench and pats it in invitation.

Cavendish sits beside him, almost a foot of space between them, and clasps his hands on top of his knees. He looks a little like a kid who's been told to behave himself and not touch anything. It's obvious he wants to ask, but the fact that they're in a cemetery is making him hesitate again. Prying into Vinnie's former timeline, that he had no trouble with. But asking about this...probably seems improper or something.

Unable to watch the man's uncomfortable fidgeting but unwilling to make the first move here, Vinnie closes his eyes and tilts his head back up to soak in the sun. It's not as peaceful as it was before, but there's a different kind of peace settling over him. He can hear Cavendish breathing, the rustle of stiff cloth, the inhale like he's about to get it over with and ask. He can smell the man's aftershave, which is _different_ , here, with this Cavendish, but still reminds him of his Bal. Probably because the smell is similar, because even in different timelines they have the same nose and picked scents they liked.

"May I ask...?" Cavendish finally murmurs, hushed voice still startling Vinnie from his thoughts.

Before Cavendish can actually ask the question, Vinnie blurts out, "It's my anniversary."

He'd thought he was doing okay, but his voice is hoarse and gives out at the end of his short explanation.

"Oh! I...I had no idea, Dakota."

Vinnie doesn't bother correcting him, telling him to call him "Vinnie". Right now, with the lump that has stealthily lodged itself in his throat, he's not sure he could stand to hear Bal call him by his name.

Clearing his throat, he admits, "He's not really buried here." Memories of the day his world ended swell up and he has to swallow a few times before he can manage to continue. "We couldn't... There wasn't..." He stops there, unable to find a way to tell his partner that he'd never been asked to identify the body, because even the police state dictatorship he helped prevent hadn't been that cruel. They had Bal's dental records for that, after all. Burying what was left of him hadn't been an option.

A thin hand tentatively covers his on the bench and Vinnie has to bite the inside of his lip to hold back a sob. Even squeezing his eyes closed tighter can't stop the tears sneaking out, though.

"I'm so sorry," Bal murmurs gently, and for a crazy moment it's like his husband's back and apologizing for what happened to him.

"It's not _your_ fault," Vinnie chokes. "You didn't ask to--" He stops himself before he can give away anything damning, and the hand on his tightens. Suddenly overwhelmed, he lets himself fall over sideways against his partner's shoulder, soaking in comfort from being so close to the familiar body. He can feel Cavendish tense up, stiff and uncertain at the proximity, but he makes no move to push Vinnie away. In fact, after a moment the man's free hand comes up to awkwardly pat Vinnie's shoulder.

The tears keep coming, harder than before and shaking his body with their force. Cavendish just continues to sit there, holding him up and patting his shoulder.

When he finally gets ahold of himself, Vinnie sniffles and sits back up, turning away to wipe at his face with a sleeve. The " _tsk_ " and huff from beside him at this use of his clothing to mop up bodily fluids coaxes a small smile from him. The handkerchief suddenly thrust in front of his face takes him by surprise. Glancing back at his partner, Vinnie takes the offered handkerchief. It's cloth, because it's Cavendish so of course it is.

Pushing his sunglasses up with one hand, Vinnie quickly swipes at the dampness still on his face. "Thanks, buddy," he says hoarsely. "I needed that. Didn't realize how much I'd been bottlin' up."

"Yes...well." Cavendish gives him another few moments to collect himself before quietly saying, "I had no idea you'd been married. Much less widowed."

"It's not really the kind of thing that comes up in casual conversation," Vinnie points out, leaning back on the bench and holding out the handkerchief to his partner.

Cavendish holds up a hand and shakes his head. "No, keep it. I have others, and I doubt you have any. And nonetheless, I feel like I _should_ have known. As your partner."

Shrugging, Vinnie tucks the cloth away in a pocket. "Don't sweat it, it's not really something I talk about." He briefly considers his next words before adding, "Anyway, that's one of the big differences between my timeline and this one: he's alive here."

"What?"

"Yeah, surprised the heck outta me too." Vinnie chuckles, staring out at the well-kept lawn of the cemetery. "How many people can say they got to meet the love of their life for the first time twice? 'Course, he had no clue who I was. Or that we were married in another timeline. It's hard, rememberin' mine is still dead and this one doesn't know what he means to me. Meant to me."

Vinnie gives his partner a sideways glance and smiles wryly. "I still forget, sometimes."

"That's...awful, Dakota. I'm so sorry." Cavendish hesitantly lays a hand on his shoulder and Vinnie leans into it.

"It's not all bad," Vinnie admits, smiling up at the man who was his husband in another lifetime. "At least he's alive."


End file.
